Kuzul

Chipper Jones fans, don’t worry about trying to get the Atlanta Braves third baseman to his eighth All-Star Game by selecting him in the “Final Vote”—he is already in.

As a reward for his fine season, the 40-year-old is being named to the squad as a replacement for injured L.A. Dodgers star Matt Kemp. David O’Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the news. 

While a case can certainly be made for others to earn this spot, Jones’ replacement selection is not startling. He is having a solid season while hitting .291 with six home runs and 29 RBI. These numbers look even more impressive given that he has played in just 45 games this year. 

These are not overwhelming stats, but they are very respectable, and Jones still does an acceptable job at third base. However, what really gives Jones an added edge here is that he is Chipper Jones. 

Jones, who has had a fantastic career, announced this will be his last season. He is a lifetime .304 hitter with 460 home runs, and he has a World Series ring. His numbers very well could take him to Cooperstown. 

The All-Star Game is not supposed to be a lifetime achievement award. It is there to reward the players performing exceptionally well that season.

But in a close call, there is no harm in bestowing this honor upon a player with a tremendous body of work who is in his last season, and Jones now has one more chance to showcase his skills in the Summer Classic. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joel Peralta was kindly asked to leave his game against the Washington Nationals for having a foreign substance on his glove. 

Peralta came out of the pen with plans of starting the eighth inning to protect the Rays’ 5-4 lead. That never happened. The umpires convened at the mound and started giving his glove the once over. One of the umps confiscated said glove and carried it off the field. And Peralta was ejected.

The Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore tweeted out the news:

Press box announcement on Joel Peralta: Ejected for having a “foreign substance on or in his fielding glove.”

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) June 19, 2012

Jake McGee handled Tampa Bay’s pitching duties in the eighth in his place, and he did so in perfect fashion. McGee did not allow a hit or walk, and the Rays held their lead for the 5-4 win.

No information has been made available regarding the nature of the substance yet, but one can only assume it was something that would help doctor the ball.

The umps’ attention was brought to Peralta’s glove by Nationals manager Davey Johnson, and Rays manager Joe Maddon did not seem to agree with the decision. He argued with the umpires for a few moments before walking to the dugout and giving a glare aimed in the direction of the Nationals dugout.

This season, Peralta is 0-2 with two saves and a 3.81 ERA in 34 games. This is the well-traveled reliever’s seventh year in the majors, and the Rays are the 36-year-old pitcher’s fifth team. 

Coincidentally, his last team prior to the Rays is the same Washington Nationals team that he just got denied the chance to pitch against. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

National League RBI leader Andre Ethier‘s contract has reportedly been extended by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles reported that a “source with knowledge of the situation” told him that it is a five-year extension worth $85 million. 

That will tie Ethier to the Dodgers through 2017 and prevent him from hitting free agency, as his contract was set to expire at the end of this season. 

The 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .287 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI. Ethier has played seven seasons in the majors, and they have all been with the Dodgers. For his career, he is batting .291 and has 119 home runs. 

This deal has the feel of Magic Johnson and his fellow owners itching to make a move—like someone buying a new toy and finding any excuse to play with it.

I can see the owners sitting around and saying, “Hmm, there is not a lot we can do after buying a successful team midseason. I know! Let’s extend a contract!”

This is a nice gesture by the Dodgers to take care of a loyal and productive player. This kind of thing can build organizational pride and make players proud to be a Dodger.

This move makes a statement, but it certainly wasn’t a pressing need. 

It is hard to imagine Ethier getting a better offer in the upcoming free-agency period than five years and $85 million. 

Who knows what the real thought process is here? What we do know is that the reliably consistent Ethier is well on his way to knowing nothing but Dodger blue for his major-league career. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Padres must resist the urge to pull the trigger on the multiple offers that will inevitably come at them for third baseman Chase Headley.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported:

Padres third baseman Chase Headley, 28, is five years younger than the Red Sox’s Kevin Youkilis and $8.525 million cheaper this season. Youk also plays first base, but Headley—a popular trade target, according to major-league sources—might be the more attractive commodity.

Headley is the heart of this offense, and San Diego is not likely to receive enough value to make a trade worth it. Any team looking to add Headley will do so to strengthen its run to this year’s World Series.

That means teams won’t be looking to part with anything but prospects. And barring a nice package of multiple elite prospects, which is extremely unlikely, this trade will not be worth it. 

Headley is currently hitting .253 with seven homers and 25 RBI. He has a .370 OBP and a 124 OPS-plus, which is important to mention because Petco Park is a stats killer for hitters. 

Headley is under team control through the 2014 season. He is making just under $3.5 million this year. He likely will be due a raise in free agency, but he isn’t likely to be a budget buster, and the Padres have a year and a half to negotiate a long-term deal with him. 

That will give them plenty of time to get an idea if they will be able to re-sign him or not, and if they feel they can’t, they can ship him out before next year’s trade deadline. 

At 18-37, the Padres aren’t going anywhere this year, but that doesn’t mean they need to host a complete fire sale, and they certainly don’t need to trade one of their clubhouse leaders and best hitters for a limited return. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s breakout season is expected to be put on hold for four to six weeks while he recovers from a “boxer’s fracture.” Bernie Augustine of The New York Daily News passed along the timetable on his recovery.

The injury occurred in his right hand. Lucroy, 25, tried to play through the injury but, as you can imagine, a fractured hand made it difficult for him to swing a bat. 

While the injury is popularly called a “boxer’s fracture,” it apparently can happen outside the ring. We don’t need to look any further than Lucroy’s injury to decipher that. 

He injured his hand while being violently assaulted by a suitcase, and the attack may have been set up by his sock. 

Augustine reported that Lucroy was reaching around for his sock under his bed when his wife moved a piece of luggage and it fell onto his hand. No charges were filled on the luggage or the sock, which still may be on the loose. Those details are not clear at this time. 

This is a disturbing trend for the sock. Their resistance to their lot in life has been well-documented, and now they have lashed out at a high-profile target. 

Lucroy is having a great season. He leads the majors with a .514 batting average with runners in scoring position. He is hitting .345 overall, which is currently fourth in the National League, and has five home runs and 30 RBI. 

The Brewers will certainly miss his presence in the lineup, but at 20-28, it’s not like they were in the thick of the pennant race.

Augustine reports that the Brewers have called up Martin Maldonado to help behind the plate while Lucroy recovers. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Manny Ramirez’s 50-game ban from the MLB has almost run its course, and the enigmatic slugger is on schedule to return to the field, as a member of the Oakland A’s, on May 30th. 

Jane Lee, Oakland A’s beat reporter for MLB.com, tweeted out the info:

Release says Manny “is scheduled to play his first game with the A’s May 30 in Minnesota.”

— Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) May 15, 2012

Ramirez was initially suspended for 100 games after his second positive test for performance enhancers. That came in 2011 when he was a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. At that point, Ramirez decided to retire. The suspension was then cut in half when he decided to return to baseball. 

It will be interesting to see what one of the best hitters of his generation brings to the surprising A’s. The problem is that Ramirez’s generation is not this generation. Coincidentally, he turns 40 on the day he is scheduled to return to the field. 

It is not just his age that is a concern, either. Ramirez will have to shake off some serious rust. He appeared in just five games last season.

To help combat the rust, he has been in the A’s extended spring training camp since the beginning of the season. 

Very little was expected of the A’s this season, but here they are at 19-17, just four games back of the division-leading Texas Rangers. 

If Ramirez proves to have anything left in the tank, he will be a big boost to this lineup. The A’s are 21st in runs scored, 28th in slugging percentage and 30th in batting average. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson might be heading to the disabled list for an extended period of time. 

Update: Saturday, April 14 at 7:40 p.m. ET

It is not looking good for Wilson seeing action this season. The Bay Area News Group’s Carl Steward reported that an MRI revealed “structural issues” and that both manager Bruce Bochy and trainer Dave Groeschner have resigned themselves to the fact that season-ending surgery is “likely.” 

Bochy also confirmed that it will be closer by committee in his absence. 

Wilson has been struggling with his velocity, and it is now becoming apparent why. The Bay Area News Group’s Carl Steward tweeted out the following news.

Brian Wilson has structural issues with elbow. Likely looking at surgery says Bochy. Will get second opinion. Will see Dr A ndrews

— Carl Steward (@stewardsfolly) April 14, 2012

Wilson previously had Tommy John surgery in 2003. Last season he missed 30 games with an elbow strain. 

Wilson had appeared in two games this season and pitched two innings. He has an ERA of 9.00 for the season with two walks, two strikeouts and a save. 

Wilson has been one of the league’s premier closers. He has recorded at least 36 saves in each of his past four seasons. 

It would be futile to speculate how long Wilson will be out if he does undergo the surgery. Elbow problems are always tricky when dealing with a pitcher, and even minor problems can completely derail a career.

Any prolonged absence will be a big blow to the Giants. Wilson has been their clear-cut first option at closer for the past four seasons.

Without a clear second option to replace him, look for the Giants to turn to a closer by committee approach, and hope that one member of the committee proves to have the makeup to handle the role.  

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Every year, there is a new closer or five who step up and have a big year. These guys bring big results for their team and for their fantasy owners. 

This always makes it a fun and worthwhile adventure to look for a sleeper closer. They can, and often do, pay off big time. 

Carlos Marmol, Cubs

Marmol’s season is off to a slow start. Actually, it is off to a no-start. He is out with a hand cramp, but will be back soon, and he is in a position to have a solid season. 

One thing we know about Marmol is that he is going to get strikeouts. Last year, he had a strikeout rate of over 12 batters per nine innings. 

In five years as a big league reliever, he has averaged 108 strikeouts a season. 

There is always that risk with Marmol that his control problems will get the better of him and knock him out of the closer role. However, he should get plenty of opportunities, and he will produce plenty of strikeouts and a few saves. 

Javy Guerra, Dodgers

Guerra’s draft stock has been hurt by the fact that many feel Kenley Jansen will take his job. That is not going to happen. Guerra is a solid closer.  

He was 17-of-19 in save opportunities after taking over the role last season. He also posted a sexy 1.02 WHIP and a 2.30 ERA.

These numbers are more than good enough to get the job done. He will get plenty of save opportunities, and you can expect a seven- to eight-strikeout-per-nine-innings mark. 

Rafael Betancourt, Rockies

Betancourt has been honing his skills as a setup man and is now ready to take over the closer role. He has a nice fastball/slider combo that allowed him to strikeout over 10 per nine innings last season. 

He doesn’t give up a large amount of fly balls, and playing in the high altitude in Denver shouldn’t, and hasn’t, hurt him. 

As long as he stays healthy, Betancourt can be penciled in for 25-30 saves, 3.00 ERA and 70-80 strikeouts. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Magic Johnson is part of the group that is the new owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The franchise certainly didn’t come cheap. 

The Wall Street Journal’s Dennis K. Berman tweeted out the news.

Breaking from WSJ: Magic Johnson-led group buys LA Dodgers for $2 billion, shattering all previous prices paid for sports franchises.

— Dennis K. Berman (@dkberman) March 28, 2012

Johnson’s group was one of three finalists approved by the MLB earlier on Wednesday. The approval meant that former Dodger owner, Frank McCourt was free to auction off the team between the three groups.   

Updeate: Tuesday, March 27 at 11:35 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers have released an official statement, which comes to us via Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal.

You can view the whole statement here. And below is an excerpt featuring quotes from the former owner and the current one. 

Frank McCourt stated, “This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community.  We are delighted that this group will continue the important work we have started in the community, fulfilling our commitment to building 50 Dream Fields and helping with the effort to cure cancer.”

Earvin “Magic” Johnson stated, “I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section in our wonderful community of Los Angeles.”

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

These speedsters aren’t going to give you any power, but they are going to produce in other ways and are definitely worth a look as the rounds advance. 

These are three younger players. They are all brimming with speed. They also have the swing to get on base. Each one is a player on the rise. Their value in drafts will never be better. 

Cameron Maybin, Padres, Outfield

Maybin is ready to start producing up to his vast potential. He finished last year strong, and the 24-year-old is going to have a breakout season. 

Maybin’s stats were on a steady incline after the All-Star break last year. He improved his eye at the plate and raised his batting average. He ended the season hitting .264.

His increased trips to the basepaths led to more steals. He ended the year with 40 steals and was caught eight times. He led the majors by nabbing 28 of those stolen bases after the All-Star break.

He’s not going to put up big power numbers—especially while playing in Petco Park—but he is going to get you runs, steals, hits and do a decent job with RBIs. 

Jemile Weeks, A’s, 2nd Base

It is a thin crop of second basemen, but Weeks showed the promise to be a solid contributor. In 406 at-bats last year, Weeks hit .303. 

He is not going to give you any power, but he is going to get you hits, and if the 25-year-old’s batting eye improves, he could post over a .400 OBP. Last season, he had an OBP of .340. 

Weeks also has solid speed. He stole 22 bases last season. He was caught 11 times. 

Weeks is going to get a ton of at-bats this year, and he will get plenty of hits and runs. 

Dee Gordon, Dodgers, Shortstop

Gordon was fantastic after being called up in June last season. He started off solid and was playing like an All-Star in September. 

He ended hitting .304 in 224 at-bats. He also had 34 runs and 24 stolen bases, and it was not until September when he offered a glimpse of what he is capable of. 

In that month, he hit .372, scored 21 runs and had 12 steals. Gordon isn’t going to give you any power—he had just a .362 SLG last season—but he is going to produce in plenty of other ways. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com